


The Raven

by mymoon4ndstars



Series: Bandits Universe [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Backstory, Bandits & Outlaws, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Minor Character Death, not quite a character study
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29156244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mymoon4ndstars/pseuds/mymoon4ndstars
Summary: A look back at how Harry joined the dread highwayman and became a bandit, and his version of the night from My Outlawed Love.Can be read separately but they link up!
Relationships: Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: Bandits Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2140056
Kudos: 1





	The Raven

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thanks for checking out this fic, it's a bit of a look into Harry's character in this universe, and some extra context for My Outlawed Love.
> 
> I've had a bit of A Time recently and this little fantasy world helped me through the last couple weeks, so I hope you can enjoy a bit of escapism with me <3
> 
> (Anyone waiting on an update for AOTH, I promise it will be with you this week. Anyone who hasn't read that, it's my WIP time travel AU, please check it out, I'll love you forever!)

Harry may not have had parents in the usual sense of a mother and father, but Sirius and Remus meant as much to him as his birth parents did, if not more. Harry had no memories of his mother and father, even though his godfather and his lover had told him countless stories of their youth. A pirate siege on his birth town when he was only a year old led to Lily and James’ deaths, but he grew up loved and cared for by his fathers, living happily in a small cottage on the outskirts of a fishing village.

Until now, with banging on the front door and men shouting for them to come out before they break in.

Harry watches as Sirius grabs Remus by the arms, talking quickly. He can’t make out what they’re saying over his mind shutting down, but he knows it can’t be good. Before he can do anything he’s being ushered into the basement that he used to play hide and seek in, the thickest coat they own is pushed into his hands and his fathers hold him close. Remus kisses his forehead and Sirius whispers that they love him before the trapdoor closes, and he is submerged in darkness.

Harry doesn’t know how long he stands there for, but at the sound of gunshots he turns and runs through the secret tunnel that Remus had dug all those years ago when they first moved to the cottage. Harry had always been told to only use it in an emergency, that he shouldn’t run off without either of them, or they wouldn’t know where he was. They had never had to use it.

He runs now, tears streaming down his face as he leaves his parents behind.

~

“Drop the knife.”

Harry holds his breath as someone pulls a gun to his head, their other hand holding his wrist, and he lets go of the small knife, letting it drop to the ground. Harry breathed out deeply when the gun was moved away and he was spun around, coming face to face with a tall ginger boy with bright blue eyes. Harry assumed he must have been a similar age to him, perhaps older, and he watched curiously as barely concealed emotions danced across his attacker’s face.

“What are you doing here?”

The tall boy demanded, and Harry shrunk away slightly. If he told him the truth he’d never believe it, but he was useless at lying so he didn’t see any other way out.

“There’s a dog tied up in the garden back there, it’s in pain… I was going to free it.” Harry shrugged when all he got was a raised eyebrow. “I don’t like people who hurt animals. It was either set the dog free or break into the house, but as you can see I’m not the strongest of people.”

Harry was startled by the boy laughing and watched as he bent to pick up the knife, holding it out to him by the blade. Harry took it hesitantly and then in a flash the redhead was climbing the wooden fence in a way that would take Harry years to master.

A minute later he head a soft growl and bark, a muttered curse, and then a shaggy haired dog was being lifted over the fence towards him.

“Well are you gonna take the bloody thing or not?” A disembodied voice called and Harry rushed forward to pull the dog into his arms, setting it on the ground gently. He crouched next to it and through the matted fur he managed to find a leather collar digging into the poor animals neck.

“Hold still now okay? I’m a friend, I promise.”

Harry held one palm out for the dog to sniff, and when it gave a low whimper he managed to get a couple fingers underneath the collar. The dog whined louder and Harry made gentle shushing sounds, moving fur out of the way as best he could so that he could see better.

“I know, not long now buddy.” He patted the dog’s head gently before pulling at the collar again, slipping his knife underneath and in one swift movement the leather strap was broken. A small circular disc had ‘Dobby’ engraved into it, and Harry smiled.

“There you are Dobby, you’re a free dog now. You can run through the woods to your hearts’ content.” The dog barked at him softly, like he knew he had to be quiet, licked Harry’s hand and then ran off into the darkness of the night.

When Harry eventually stood up again, putting the collar in a pocket of his coat, he frowned in confusion upon seeing the boy still leaning casually against the fence.

“Follow me.”

He jerked his head and walked off, not once checking to see if Harry was following.

He didn’t need to, Harry had rushed after him straight away.

~

Harry had been part of the highwayman’s crew for a few weeks now, and he was happy.

Compared to the years spent with his fathers, it wasn't great. Most nights they slept outside, and their blankets of trees and stars did nothing to keep out the winter chill that was spreading through the land. They either helped people, or stole from them. Harry still felt uncomfortable about some of it, until they came across officials that were ruining lives the way Harry’s had been, and then his reasoning went out the window of whatever carriage they were hijacking at the time.

No, it wasn’t the best situation, but he was happy.

Ron, or Lion as he was called when they were in public, was the best friend he could have asked for. They shared jokes at the crack of dawn when they went hunting, and they shared secrets and tales of their childhoods under the stars. Ron was loyal and brave. He was there right alongside any of them for every attack, every win, and every loss.

Blaise, known as Snake, still took some getting used to. He was quick, sarcastic and bitter, but he cared. Harry had been shocked when Blaise was the one to stop them on the outskirts of a city to help a young girl with a broken ankle. Blaise was the one that helped those with no means to do anything for themselves, and Harry appreciated that about the oldest of the group.

Harry himself was called Raven, and he was quickly learning that he could keep the group together. His instincts had saved their skins multiple times already, despite his short time with them. When the others were stressed and fighting among each other, he was the peace keeper, the solution finder.

Then there was Ginny. The leader of their group, the dread highwayman. She was fiercer than her brother, more ruthless when it came to fighting, and stronger when faced by those who were injured or abused by those in power. She had been the first one of the group to go off to change the world and all its’ unfairness.

She was the one who risked her identity being found out over and over again in order to visit her lover.

She reminded him of Sirius.

~

The first time Harry had seen Ginny and Luna together, and he heard the words ‘my moon’ leave Ginny’s lips he had nearly broken down in tears. It had only been six weeks since he last heard Sirius whisper the same thing to Remus – the other man always responded with ‘my star’.

Harry had been taken by surprise when Luna had hugged him ever so gently, like he was a frightened animal, and told him that his fathers were proud of him. He burst into tears and let himself be led to Luna’s room, where she had sketches of various people strewn across a desk. There in the middle, with charcoal smudged to fill in thick hair and scars, was Remus and Sirius.

When he had calmed down, with the help of quiet conversation and a bottle of mead, he was told about Luna’s dreams. All the people she drew had visited her in her dreams. Not all of them spoke, but his fathers had.

Harry understood then why Ginny risked losing everything for her.

Tonight would bring his second time seeing the blonde, and he was excited for it. Rather than Luna’s home, this time they were going to the inn that her father owned. According to the others The Rook Inn was the lovers’ usual meeting spot, because Xenophilius was rarely there in the evenings, making it slightly safer for them.

The four waited until nightfall to leave their latest campsite. They rode along forest paths and cobbled streets until just after midnight they arrived at the inn that sat on the outskirts of the town of Ottery St Catchpole.

As they waited for Luna to let them in, Harry looked around to check that nobody was watching them. A movement above him made him look up but all he saw was a dark window for what he assumed was one of the rooms at the inn. There were no lights on upstairs, just the oil lamps in the main inn and down the street. He checked behind them again and nodded at the others.

They all dismounted and then the door was opening for Luna to rush into Ginny’s arms.

~

As the hour wore on Harry found that he was relaxing more, and as Blaise and Ron made teasing jokes to Ginny and Luna he stepped out into the darkness for some fresh air and check on the horses.

His horse was a dapple gray mare named Hedwig, and he had never met a horse with as much character as she had. She gently snorted when he asked how she was doing, as if to say she couldn’t actually speak. But Harry had a soft spot for animals, and he talked to Hedwig and the other horses like they were his best friends. He snuck a few pieces of apple to her and Errol, the older horse that Ron rode, when he heard voices from above him.

He slunk back into the shadows of the inn and glanced up. The window he had dismissed earlier was open slightly, and soft voices floated out into the night.

“I told you they were real Dray.”

Harry’s eyebrows raised. Had someone seen them arriving?

“Yes okay Pans, just go to sleep or you’ll be an absolute demon in the morn.”

Harry assumed the girl said something else that he couldn’t hear because then a gentle laugh made him smile, and he took a deep breath before stepping back into the dim light towards Hedwig.

He hoped his plan had paid off when he heard a gasp and then a whisper was carried down to him.

“Are you the highwayman?”

Harry grinned and turned around only to have his breath taken away from him. Leaning out of the now wide open window was a young man with pale blonde hair falling around his shoulders, grey eyes shining in the starlight.

“I’m Raven.”

He spoke quietly, but loud enough that the beautiful man could hear, and his heart leapt when he laughed again, shaking his head.

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Then no, I am not.”

Harry bowed his head and was about to head back into the inn when his name was called out.

“Raven, wait! You are part of his crew though, aren’t you?”

He smiled slowly and nodded, raising his eyebrows expectantly. “Anything else?”

“Will I see you again?”

“Perhaps. Good night…?”

Harry smirked and let out a chuckle as the blond blurted, “Dragon!” He could just make out a flush darkening the pale cheeks.

“Good night Dragon. Sweet dreams.”

~

It wasn’t until the morn, when they finally stopped two villages over, when Harry confessed to the others that he had spoken to one of the guests at the inn. Ron had kicked off at first until he saw the way Harry was gazing off into the distance thinking about the blond, and let him off with an exasperated eye roll. Blaise laughed at them and Ginny demanded details, she would be asking Luna about the young man in her next letter.

The weeks passed and they carried on their journey through the land, helping those in need and taking down people that abused their power, and each night when Harry watched the moon rise, he thought of a young man with blonde hair and starlight in his eyes.


End file.
